


Five Questions

by BrownRecluse2517



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, One Shot, Romance, Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:08:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22082356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrownRecluse2517/pseuds/BrownRecluse2517
Summary: After their encounter with Sol Regem, Callum and Rayla decide two weeks is long enough to go without washing up. As Callum tries to coax Rayla into the water, he tries to use the "Five Questions" technique from their boat ride. It goes in unexpected directions.
Relationships: Callum & Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 228





	Five Questions

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this piece of Fan Art: https://art.ngfiles.com/images/832000/832478_thehappyspaceman_don-t-let-go.png?f1551150554
> 
> This story begins shortly after Callum and Rayla's encounter with Sol Regem, and goes off-script shortly thereafter. I hope you all enjoy! This is my first pic on this site.

# Five Questions: A Dragon Prince Fanfic

#####  For Callum, running in Xadia completely defeated the purpose of coming. Even if he _was_ running from a blind dragon who wanted to flash-fry him. He was missing all the trees, the flowers, and the beautiful, mystical animals! There was so much to see around him, and running blurred his surroundings until all he could see were multicolored flashes of stimuli. 

Plus, they'd been going for two hours now, and his legs were killing him. 

"Uh, Rayla?!" he called to his friend. Rayla was nearly out of sight. She had leapt every obstacle in their path without stopping, almost without noticing. "I think..he's lost...our trail!" 

Ahead, Rayla spun around gracefully, and slid on her back foot to a stop. She didn't look convinced. 

"You saw how big Sol Regem is, right? You think he couldn't keep up with us?" 

Callum hurried to catch up with her. When he arrived at her side, he noticed she wasn't panting. In fact, it didn't look like Rayla was tired at all. _She didn't even break a sweat!_ "Sol..what's his name was stuck in that arch! We've got a good lead on him, not to mention four working eyes between the two of us. Do you think...we could take...a SHORT break?!" He clutched at the stitch in his chest, willing himself to breathe. 

Rayla looked at Callum for a long moment, and glanced around at their surroundings. Big trees, soft grass. Somewhere nearby, a stream burbled softly. She looked down at the dragon in her arms, the small baby dragon Zym. The Dragon Prince glared back up at her, and mewled plaintively. Zym had been half-running, half-gliding at first, but as he tired, Rayla had grabbed him and hoisted him over her shoulder. Zym didn't like extended periods of being bounced around. He'd even zapped her a few times in protest. 

Rayla held the dragon to her eye level. "What do you think, your princely-ness? Do you need a few minutes?" Zym yipped what sounded very much like "Uh huh!" in dragon, and squirmed out of her arms. Rayla rolled her eyes. 

"Alright! But if we end up getting eaten by Sol Regen, I expect you two to say _I_ was the voice of reason." And with that, she stretched, and lowered herself to the forest floor. Callum followed her lead, with a much less graceful **FLUMPF** as he hit the ground. Zym found a nearby patch of grass and rolled onto his back, panting and gazing up at the leaves and rays of sun that made it through the canopy. 

Callum leaned back against a nearby tree, and was quickly enraptured with all the magic, literal magic, around him. The woods around him shone so bright it nearly burned his eyes, like staring into the noonday sun. Each tree bloomed a hundred different flowers, each of them a different hue. Brilliant blues and greens gave way to deep red, and a few pulsing blobs of darkest black. Through the trees, Callum could see a family of what looked like deer, except they stood taller than horses. Their fur was a vibrant teal, and their horns glowed in the soft sunlight, like algae on the Katolis shoreline at night. A few young fawns had spots that alternated colors every few seconds. Off in the distance, he heard what sounded like a brass band, playing an upbeat jazzy tune. even the _smell_ was different; so pure it almost hurt his nose. His senses were swirling, trying to take it all in, and he was soon overwhelmed. 

Rayla watched her friend with a pleased smile. She knew he would love Xadia. Of all the humans she had met, with Ezran being a close second, Callum was the one most obsessed with magic, and Xadia was nothing but magic. She had really hoped that he would react this way, too. She felt a nervous, excited flutter, showing him around her home. She was even more nervous, and more excited, for him to get to the Silvergrove. _Can they look past the fact that he's human? Will they be able to see that not all humans are evil? Well, some are evil. If I were bring in Viren, or Claudia, they'd probably be trying to bottle up Xadia, and send it home to suck the magic out of it. But Callum isn't like that. He's sweet, and kind, and brave...and handsome..._

"Uh...is there something on my face?" said Callum. 

"Whuh?" Rayla asked. She blinked, realizing she'd been staring at him for the past few minutes. _Get it together, girl!_

"You were looking at me all weird for a second there. I was worried some mystical slug had dropped on my nose, or a magic bird had pooped in my hair." Callum grinned and waggled his fingers at her. "Is there magic bird poop here? Because I would totally be okay with there being magic bird poop." 

Rayla laughed. "Of course the bird poop is magic! Come here, I'll give you some!" She picked up a clod of mud, and tossed it, lightning fast, at Callum's chest. 

"Hey!" he shouted, and pulled up his sketch book to swat the mud out of the air. Honor bound to retaliate, he scooped up his own dirt clod, and fired it back at Rayla. He had no chance of hitting her; he knew that. As easy as blinking, Rayla leapt over the projectile, flipped, and landed in a squat. She took out her blades and flicked them open, and using them as shovels, flung a few more lumps of earth at Callum. He was quickly overmatched, and a few lumps caught him in the arms, legs, and even one in the face before he could take shelter behind a purple log. 

"No fair using your daggers, Rayla! That's cheating!" He laughed as he rose from behind the log, mud in both his hands. He got both his shots off, but was given three more clods for his trouble. 

"There ARE no rules in Xadian mudfights, human!" called Rayla, crouched in a defensive position. Beside her, Zym was on his feet, barking happily and trying to catch the dirt balls in his mouth as Callum redoubled his attack. He bit down on one, and a gigantic explosion of mud splattered his face. He sneezed, and a blast of electricity zapped the mud off his snout. Rayla stabbed her daggers into the ground, readying more clods with her free hands. Callum, emboldened by the sudden lack of mud being thrown his way, leapt over his log and ran right towards his friend. 

"For the honor of Katolis!" he cried, and tried to grab her hands. Rayla laughed, took his hands in hers, and easily flipped him over her shoulders. Callum reeled from the unexpected feeling of being airborne, and cartwheeled over Rayla's head. She had at least found a decent mud pile to break his fall, and he landed with a SPLAT that sounded like a ripe tomato hitting a wall. Callum landed on his back, with his hands still clutched in Rayla's. She backflipped in an arc over his head, and landed on her knees, straddling him. With a grunt and a heave, Rayla pinned his arms to the ground, and sat on his stomach. 

"Do you surrender?" She asked sweetly. Her face was a few inches from his. And then, suddenly, the mood shifted, as if a spell had been cast. They were looking into each other's eyes, barely inches apart. _She is much too close!_ thought Callum. _He is much too close!_ thought Rayla. They both blushed, suddenly realizing the position they'd landed in. Callum quickly backed his head even further into the muck. 

"I surrender..." he breathed. 

In a flash, Rayla got off of him, backing a few feet away. "Good! Good. Surrender is...good. Obviously. Elves win again!" She tried to sound gleeful and victorious, but there was a note of uncertainty that Callum hadn't heard before. They sat there for a few minutes, avoiding eye contact. Zym jumped up on Callum's lap, and licked off some of the mud. Apparently, the young dragon thought it was delicious. 

Callum made a valiant attempt at reviving the conversation. "Soooooooo...how long until we get to your home? What's your city called?" 

Rayla swept her hair behind her ears. "the Silvergrove? Oh, I don't know if I'd call it a city. Maybe a village. It's pretty small, by your standards. And I'd say we've got a good day or two. We still have to make it through the melodaisy field, and then, I've got a surprise for you." 

"A surprise? What is it?!" Callum gasped. 

"I can't tell you, dummy. Otherwise it wouldn't be a surprise! But seeing how you've been jumpin' out of your skin with all the magic around you? I think you'll love it." 

Callum laid back on his pack. "And...what about your friends? Do you think the other elves will accept you having a human with you?" He paused. "Because I have been working on another option!" He moved two sticks behind his ears, and stuffed some leaves and grass into his shirt. 

"Oi! _Trees_ to meet ya! All me best mates are trees! Let's talk about pinky fingers, and 'ow silly humans can be!" 

Rayla sat, stunned into silence by the worst elf impression she'd ever seen. Mind you, she'd only seen one, but it was still the worst. 

"Please never, _ever_ do that again." She hot up, and walked over to sit next to Callum, making sure to keep some distance between them this time. "But I'm sure they'll allow you to pass, with no problems! You're helping me get the Dragon Prince back to his mother! And well, even if they don't accept you...I accept you." Rayla twisted her hair, nervously. "You're my best friend, Callum." 

Callum smiled, feeling his stomach flutter. "That's what you said to Sol Regem. That I was your best friend. That really means a lot, Rayla. I know we've only known each other for a little while, but I'd say you're my best friend too. Outside of Ez, at least." 

"Really?" Rayla asked. "More than Soren or Claudia? They've been your friends for years!" 

"Oh, yeah, they've always been my friends," said Callum, "But there's something about your friends trying to capture you and kill the Dragon Prince that tends to edge them down a few slots. I don't like it when my friends try to kill me." 

" _I_ tried to kill you, remember? The night we first met? When you were pretending to be Ezran, to keep him safe?" Rayla reached out a hand, and closed it around Callum's hand. "That was really brave of you." 

"Yeah, it was." Callum looked down sadly, and Rayla didn't have to ask to know he was thinking about his brother, who had returned to Katolis to be its King. "And he blew it by yelling through the painting at me. AND by leaving jelly tart stains everywhere." Both he and Rayla laughed at this. "Can you believe it's only been a few weeks?" 

"It's been a busy few weeks," said Rayla. "And a hard few weeks. But meeting you...", she paused, and blushed. "And meeting Ezran, course. AND Zym. Well, it's been a really good few weeks." 

Another pause in the conversation. But less awkward. Callum realized his hand was still in Rayla's, but decided not to comment. Zym waddled up between the two and curled up, apparently content. 

"Callum?" 

"Hmmm?" 

"Can I ask you something? Something...personal?" 

Callum started. "Uh...Personal?" 

"Yeah," said Rayla, looking away. "And I don't think I could ask this, except I feel like we've gotten to know each other, and that we can trust each other." 

Callum looked terrified; frozen, like he was made of stone. "T-Trust?" He laughed, nervously. "Sure Rayla, you can ask me anything!" 

"Well..." She edged a little closer. Callum felt himself edging closer to her as well. 

"Do you know how bad you smell?" 

"...WHAT?!" Callum jumped back, a little shocked. "Smell? Me!? I mean, I know it's been a while since I've had a bath--" 

"Two weeks!" said Rayla. "And I know it saved us from Sol Regem, but...It's a bit much." 

"You don't like how I smell?" said Callum. "But you've been wearing my scarf all day!" 

Rayla blushed crimson, all the way up to her ears. "Yes...Yes, I have! It's good luck! And yes, I like the way you smell, I mean...uhhh..." She covered her face with her hand. "I mean, I like how you smell, _in theory_. I'm just not the biggest fan of how _much_ you smell...right now. And I thought, there's a stream nearby. Maybe you could...freshen up a bit, before we get to the Silvergrove." 

Callum thought about this for a moment, and nodded. "I guess I could, but Rayla, as your **best friend** , I think I have to tell you. It's been two weeks for you too! Up mountains, through enchanted groves. And well...you might want to take a little splish-splash yourself!" 

Rayla gaped at him. "I...I don't think I really smell..." She paused, and tentatively lifted her arm, and breathed deep. 

It was bad. Not as bad as Callum, but bad enough to make her wish she hadn't. 

"Ugh! I mean, yeah, I suppose I could do to dip my toe in a little bit." 

"Maybe more than just a toe..." 

"Callum!" 

"Hey, as a friend! A _best_ friend! I remember you picked up a few sets of clothes from Lujanne at the Moon Nexus that weren't so leather, and skin-tight...ish? We could both take a dip! It could be relaxing! It could even be fun!" 

******************************** 

Rayla didn't feel relaxed. 

She and Callum had followed the creek to a small pond. The water was crystal clear, so they could see there weren't any fish, or giant sea monsters down below. Rayla could even see it wasn't that deep; maybe only slightly above her head at the lowest point. But as soon as she saw it, Rayla felt a surge of panic that she always associated with any water deeper than a bathtub. But now she felt an extra panic; a new panic. 

She'd brought a spare set of clothes from Lujanne's but they weren't what she'd wanted to wear in front of Callum. They were much more...revealing. A tight roll of cloth covered up all...necessary areas, but her arms, shoulders, and torso were bare. _At least the trousers go down past the knee..._ she thought, but still tried to cover herself, awkwardly. She hadn't seen Callum yet, who had walked a few feet further into the treeline to change. "Okay...I'm ready!", she called, trying to keep the fear out of her voice. 

"I can come out now?" Callum's voice came from beyond the trees. He walked out, slowly, shuffling forward on unsteady legs. Then Rayla saw that he had both his hands up over his eyes, just in case. 

_That's sweet, you daft Prince,_ she thought. And then she saw what he was wearing, and breathed "...Whoa." 

This was the first time Rayla had seen Callum without a shirt, and was surprised to see that even though he was skinny, he wasn't a stick figure. _Maybe all that sword fighting?_ He was wearing a set of shorts that came down a little past his knees, like young elves at the swimming pond back home wore. But she felt herself get red, watching him stumble towards her, eyes still covered with his hands. She watched as he nearly tripped over Zym, who was scampering around the edge of the water, chasing dragonflies. She smiled a little. 

"You can put your hands down now, Callum. If you want." 

Callum slowly lowered his hands. As soon as he did, his jaw slackened as he saw Rayla. He tried to stop himself; he really did. 

"You look amazing." 

Rayla looked away, grabbing her left arm. Callum recognized it as her embarrassed look. "Shut up..." 

"No, you do! I mean it!" 

"...Thanks" she muttered. "You're not so bad either. You know, for a human." 

Another round of awkward silence, broken only by the soft gurgling of the stream as it flowed into the pond. 

"So, should we jump in?" asked Callum. "How do things work in Xadia? Are there water gods or mystic creatures we have to check with before swimming? You know...pond gods?" He glanced around, evidently searching for a "Pond God" to beg entry. 

Rayla snorted. "Of _course_ , Callum! We wouldn't want to offend Aquaman, the lord of this stream! For his wrath is terrible, for those who don't ask permission!" 

Callum gasped. "Really!? Is there something I have to do? Do I have to ask in fish? Does Aquaman talk to fish? I can pretend breathe water, but only for about a minute before I have to come up for air..." he stopped, and notice Rayla giggling at him. 

"Right," Callum said, his shoulders slumping. "No Aquaman." 

"Not even a little bit," laughed Rayla. 

Callum walked into the water, up to his ankles. "Hmmm...not bad!" he said. "It's not too cold!" He turned, and saw Rayla standing exactly where she had been. He stared at her, then dipped his hands in the water, and flicked a little spray at Rayla. She yelped, and jumped back like he'd thrown acid at her. 

"Come on, Rayla! You've got to get over your fear of water at some point!" 

Rayla marched forward to the edge of the pond, pouting a little. "If you do that to me again, Callum, I swear to Xadia that I will end you!" 

"You'd have to catch me first!" laughed Callum, and ran further out into the pond. Rayla gave an involuntary yelp of fear as he went further and further out, down past his knees, then his hips, until only his head was above water. "Come on Rayla! My feet are touching the bottom here, and you're just as tall as me! Taller, with the horns!" Rayla blushed deeper, reflexively reaching up to touch one of her horns. 

Callum's tone softened; he realized he was in danger of hurting her feelings. "Look, I'm sorry. I just want to help. Tell you what, we can do what we did on the boat! I can ask you five questions, to take your mind off of the water!" 

"Oh, so then you've got me in the water, AND you get to ask me questions! That sounds like a great deal! For _you_!" cried Rayla, edging closer to the water, but still not daring to get her feet wet. 

She watched Callum bob slowly up and down in the water. Part of her desperately wanted to go in with him. Part of her wanted to stay on dry land for the rest of her life, and live out her days as the world's smelliest assassin. Then, Callum smiled. 

"Ugh, I know that smile," sighed Rayla. "That's your dumb idea smile." 

"How about we trade? Five questions for you, and five questions for me. We both have to be completely honest. Not even any partial truths or dodging! Full-on honesty!" He moved back up through the water towards her, shimmering slightly as the slowly setting sun reflected off of him. 

Rayla considered, briefly, and slowly, tentatively, nodded. She put her feet in the water, and gave an involuntary shudder. Callum strode the rest of the way to the shore, and took both her hands. 

"Nice and slow," he said. "No rush." 

"Try anything amusing, like dunking me, or splashing me, and I will collect a finger from you." she warned. Callum gulped, and nodded, realizing that both of his hands were in hers now, and that was also a dangerous place to be. 

"You can go first, since this was your idea," she told him. 

Callum paused for a second, pursing his lips. Rayla couldn't help but smile. _He looks cute when he's thinking hard like that._

"Okay," said Callum, "Let's start out easy. What is your favorite thing about your home?" 

"My home?" asked Rayla. "You mean Xadia? Or the Silvergrove?" 

"Either. Both." 

"Is that two questions, or just one?" 

Callum grinned. "You tell me." Rayla rolled her eyes. 

"My favorite thing about Xadia is...there are no annoying princes asking me questions." She smirked at Callum, who laughed softly. 

"There are now! But really, Rayla. There are so many amazing things here in Xadia. What's your favorite thing?" 

Rayla pondered this, as she inched another step into the water. She barely noticed she was in up to her ankles now. 

"I've lived here all my life, except for the last two weeks. Here in Xadia; in the Silvergrove. I thought I should be missing the big things, like the magical creatures, and the enchantments, and how everything is just full of arcane energy! But, once I was gone, I realized that I missed the little things. I missed...how the moon looks in the reflecting pool at night. I miss Ethari whispering to Runaan at night." 

"Runaan was the scary assassin on the roof, right?" 

"He was," said Rayla. But he was also my parent's best friend. When my parents were guarding the Zym's Egg, before they ran away..." She felt her eyes sting at the thought of her parents, "They...left me with Runaan, and his husband, Ethari. Runaan was my teacher, but he and Ethari were also like my other parents. They loved me, and kept an eye on me. And when I was in my bed at night, I could hear them whispering to each other." She smiled. "I could never make out what they were saying, but they always sounded so happy together. I miss that feeling of being part of a family, I guess." 

Rayla paused, realizing just how much she was saying. She glanced up at Callum, who was smiling serenely. 

"That, plus I miss Moonberry Surprise! You'd be amazed what elven cooks can do with a few moon berries, some whipped cream, and a full moon!" Callum looked like he wasn't sure if she were joking or not. "You just wait til we get there!" she said. "I could eat about a hundred of them!" 

"Deal," said Callum. "It's a date!" Then, he stopped, realizing what he had just said. "I mean...you know, not like a **date** date. Like a friend date! Friends, who like to eat Moonberry Surprise! Together! But not **together**..." He trailed off, desperately hoping Rayla would interrupt him. 

"What's your question? Want to know what I miss the most about Katolis?" 

Rayla shook here head. "I can already guess. You get that big homesick look on your dumb human head whenever Ezran comes up." Callum smiled sadly, and nodded. They were up to their knees now. 

"I had a question that...well, you don't have to answer if you don't want to. I mean, you've heard about my parents, and I know about your mom, at least a little bit. But what about your dad?" 

Callum looked a little uncomfortable, but remembered his promise: No half-truths. "You mean, King Harrow?" he asked. 

Rayla shook her head. "I know he was your stepfather. And it seems like he was a pretty good one, as far as stepfathers go. But what about your birth father?" 

She waited. She knew Callum would answer. But she didn't know when. 

"...Dead" he finally said. "I was so young when it happened, only about three years old. He was a good man; a soldier, like my mother. But he died in battle, when Katolis was battling the kingdom of Duren. He was one of the last...the Five Kingdoms signed a peace treaty after that battle." 

"Oh, Callum, I'm sorry," said Rayla. She let go of his hands, and wrapped her arms around him. She felt his arms, warm and strong, encircle her as well. She felt a small electric sizzle run up her back when he held her. Like Zym had just licked her. 

But different, somehow. 

Callum was silent for several minutes, until she heard him take a deep, shuddering breath. 

"A year or so later, my mom, Sarai, married King Harrow. Pretty soon after that, Ez was born, and it was like having my family back again. It was always a little awkward around the King...around Dad. I think we both missed my dad. He was the King's good friend, and a close advisor. After he died...Viren took his place." 

He looked into Rayla's eyes. They separated a little; they were in the water up to their hips now, and held onto each other for support. 

"My turn?" he asked. Rayla nodded. 

"Okay...well, you mentioned Ethari, but...well..." he paused, looking embarrassed. "Do you have anyone...else...waiting for you at home. You know, in the Silvergrove?" 

Rayla looked puzzled. "Any other family, you mean? No, Runaan and Ethari were it, and now Runaan is gone." 

"No, I meant...do you have anyone...special...waiting for you? A boyfriend? Or girlfriend?" 

Rayla bit her bottom lip. "Oh...I didn't think you meant." she looked away from Callum, turning red again. "Well...well no, I don't. I wasn't the most popular girl in the Silvergrove." 

"Why not?" asked Callum. 

"I was training since I was old enough to walk to be an assassin. Assassins do the bad jobs no one else wants to do, and that can make us pretty unpopular. I suppose...that's why boys weren't too keen on me. I was too weird, and different." 

"Different?" said Callum. "You're amazing! You're so strong, and fast, and can do all that really cool flipping and stabbing, and you're so smart, and funny, and beautiful!" He stopped again, looking like he wanted to weld his lips together. 

"That's sweet, Callum," said Rayla, smiling despite herself. "But most guys in the Grove weren't into girls who could beat them in sports, and archery, and races, and...well, everything." 

"Everything?" asked Callum. 

"Everything but swimming," said Rayla. "Ready for your next question, Sad Prince?" 

Callum looked unsure. This was getting a lot deeper than he expected. But he nodded again. 

"Well, since you asked...what's the story with you and Claudia? Are you two an...item?" 

Now it was Callum's turn to blush a deep scarlet. Rayla felt a lead balloon inside her chest deflate a little. She thought there was something there. 

"I...I thought so. I mean, you both match up pretty well. You like magic, you're both...well, a little awkward. I suppose she did try to kidnap you, but relationships can survive a lot--" 

"No! No, it's not that!" said Callum, looking abashed. Rayla felt her heart lift a little. "I mean...well, yeah, I always used to have a thing for Claudia. She was nice to me when the other kids weren't, and she was really pretty, and had a dorky sense of humor..." 

"Pretty!?" said Rayla, before she could stop herself. "I suppose, if you like that sort of thing. All dark hair, dark eyes, Dark-Mage-Next-Door sort of appeal. Sure, she's **Okay**!..." Rayla stopped herself. Callum was glaring at her, one eyebrow raised. 

"Sorry, go ahead. tell how _wonderful_ Claudia is!" 

"How wonderful she was..." said Callum. "I guess it's in times of crisis, or trouble, that people's real face reveals itself. We were looking for people to help us get Zym to his Mom. I thought I could trust Soren and Claudia. Soren's always been a bit of a jerk, but his heart seemed to be in the right place. And I hoped...I really hoped I could trust Claudia. But when the time came, she chose her father over doing what's right." 

Rayla felt a slight twinge of empathy for the black haired girl. "I'm sure it wasn't an easy decision. It was the wrong decision, of course! And she's an idiot for not choosing to side with you..." Not that much empathy. "I mean, you know. To save the world, with a guy like you? Girls should be tripping over themselves for that chance!" Callum beamed at her, and she couldn't help but respond. Rayla slowly felt like her shyness and awkwardness were melting away, the more they talked and got to know each other. This was the way it should be, between friends. 

The water was up to their chests now. Callum had to stand up on his tip-toes to stay balanced. Rayla hadn't even noticed the water. 

"My turn?" asked Callum. Rayla felt herself start to drift, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Callum did the same, feeling his heart beat fast as he did. 

"Alright, this question might be incredibly offensive, and if it is, please just remember that I'm a dumb human with no knowledge of elves outside of storybooks, and warnings." 

"Ooooo, sounds like a good one!" said Rayla. "I can't wait!" 

"So...Moonshadow Elves have these marking around their eyes, or somewhere on their face. Is it natural? Or do you all choose your markings?" 

Rayla smiled. "You daft Prince. You were afraid to ask that?" She laughed. "Nah, I was born with these. They get darker as elves reach adulthood, but it's not like anyone was trying to give me a face tattoo!" 

"That would be pretty uncomfortable," said Callum, wincing. 

"But they are important!" said Rayla. "Every elf has their markings read as a child, by a Diviner. The Diviner tries to tell the future, based on the markings. Now, a lot of people think it's a load of blether, but other people put a lot of stock in what they say." 

"And what did they say about you?" asked Callum. 

"They're usually pretty vague," Rayla explained. They Diviner said that having mine around my eyes like this meant I would be steadfast. That I'd see things through to the end." She smiled, lifting her hands off of Callum's neck, and tracing the dark lines with her fingers. "And so far, she's been right." 

Callum pulled her a little further back, and suddenly, they were treading water, with no floor beneath them. Rayla felt her stomach give an unexpected lurch, and she threw her arms back around Callum. "CLOSER TO SHORE, PLEASE!" she cried. 

"Ack! Sorry! I didn't realize..." shouted Callum, and quickly pulled them both back onto solid ground. He waded closer until both their shoulders were above the waterline. Callum looked entranced; the sun had set, and Rayla's skin shimmered like diamonds in the moon. They took a few minutes, with Rayla slowly regaining her breath, and slowly releasing the death-grip she had on Callum's shoulders. 

"Stupid water..." she muttered. "I guess that's my biggest fear. What's yours?" 

"Oof, another hard question!" said Callum. Can't you ask me what my favorite color is, or something?" 

"This Five Questions thing was our idea, dummy!" Rayla said. "Your fears, if you please. And yes, I WILL be taking notes!" 

Callum groaned. "Lots of things!" he began. "The usual sort of stuff. Spiders. Snakes. Spider-Snakes. Snakes riding spiders." 

"You're stalling," said Rayla, grinning. "Get to the good stuff!" 

"It's...nothing tangible" he said. "I'm afraid of all the regular stuff like bats and wolves and mummies. But my biggest fear is...not measuring up." 

Rayla cocked her head quizzically. "Not measuring up? To what?" 

"Well, I'm the step-son to a King. Whenever Soren wanted to bully me, he'd just call me the Step-Prince. Like I wasn't the real deal. And even though he always treated me like a son, I was worried that Dad saw me that way too. It was always so strange, to be in a place of power, but to have so little power of my own." 

He began spinning in place, turning the pair of them in slow circles. 

"I think that's why I was so excited when I found out I could do magic. It was like I had finally found that thing I was good at, and where I measure up to my Dad, or Ezran, or Soren and Claudia. I found what I was made to do. And I was afraid I'd never find that. Without being a mage...I'm nothing." 

Rayla glared at him, and took her hand off of his shoulder to flick water in his face. 

"Oh, you daft Prince! You think the magic is what makes you special? You can do magic because you _are_ special! You found the Primal Source within yourself. You figured out the Sky Arcanum, and I'm betting this is only the beginning! You're amazing, Callum. You were born with a gift. You don't have to measure up to anyone! You're acres taller than the rest of the world!" 

Rayla couldn't help herself. She took Callum's face in her hands, and traced up and down his cheeks. She felt his arms holding her up in the water. 

"You've got nothing to be afraid of there, Callum. Stick to Snake-Spiders. You're amazing." 

The pair of them swam contentedly for a few minutes, just enjoying each other's company, and their closeness. Neither felt ashamed, or awkward, or embarrassed anymore. They felt calm, composed, and at peace. 

"You're a question behind, Callum" Rayla finally whispered. She was surprised to find that she was enjoying this. Callum walked her up until they were about waist-deep in the pond. the night air was cool against his skin, but the night was warm. 

"This may be a bit of an odd question" Callum began. 

"You're an odd boy" said Rayla. 

"Right! Which is why I don't feel too bad asking it!" Callum paused, apparently thinking about how best to proceed. 

"What are your horns made out of?" 

The question took Rayla by surprise, but she laughed in spite of herself. "I was asking about your greatest fears, and you want to know about my horns?" she said. 

Callum laughed too. "Hey! I just think they look nice! And I was wondering if they were made out of wood, or stone, or ivory..." 

"They're made of horn!" said Rayla, punching him in the shoulder. It was a friendly punch, but Rayla being an assassin, it still stung. 

"Do they keep growing?" Callum asked. 

"A bit," said Rayla. Occasionally, one horn might chip, or something. The horn usually grows back over time, as long as it wasn't cut off with a magic weapon." 

"Do you ever feel like they're in the way?" asked Callum. 

"They've been known to cut holes in pillowcases every now and then!" said Rayla, and she and Callum broke down laughing for several minutes. Rayla was laughing so hard, she was holding onto Callum to keep herself steady. Callum was holding her as well, until Rayla accidentally punched him in the shoulder. The hit caused Callum to lose his balance, and they both tumbled under the water. Callum quickly pulled Rayla back up to the surface, but she didn't seem to care. She just shook the beads of water from her white hair, sparkling like the stars under the moon. 

Callum steeled himself. "Can I...feel them?" Rayla smiled, and lowered her head a little so her horns stuck out in front of him. Slowly, carefully, Callum traced his fingers up and down the length of her horns. He felt the strange texture, somewhere between wood and stone, and enjoyed the slight roughness as he rubbed them. He was surprised to hear Rayla gasp slightly as he touched them, and drew his hands away quickly. 

"I'm sorry! Did I hurt you?" Callum asked, as Rayla raised her hands up to trace her fingers along her horns, following the same path he had taken. 

"No!" she said. "No, they're just very sensitive. Not a lot of people have done that to me...It's a ticklish spot, like tickling a baby's foot. But it felt...kind of good too..." she whispered. 

Callum slowly drew his hands up again, but she pushed them back down, until they were around her hips. Callum was a but surprised at her boldness, but not upset. 

"Sorry, I just like how they highlight your face. Your horns are so...unique. They make you even more beautiful." 

"You used that word again," whispered Rayla. "Do you really think I'm beautiful?" 

"Is that your fourth question?" teased Callum. 

"Shut up and answer the question!" she demanded, grinning so hard that her face hurt. 

Callum drew her closer with one hand, and raised another to caress her face. There was no fear, no hesitation. The water had washed it all away. 

"You're the most beautiful girl I've ever met." 

Callum could see tears trickle down Rayla's cheeks, tracing the lines of her markings. She brought her hand up to wipe away the tears, and Callum placed his hand over hers, and brought it back down. 

"I've got one last question" he said, feeling boldness he didn't know he possessed. "One more...very important question." 

"Ask me," Rayla sobbed. Please ask me." 

"Rayla...do you...I mean, do you feel about me the same way I feel about you?" 

Rayla leaned in, until her lips were at his ear. 

"Yes, you daft Prince. I love you!" She wrapped her arms tightly around him, and felt him do the same, enjoying each other's embrace, and the knowledge that this was something real; something permanent. That they had only known each other a short time, but that this was assured. Rayla could hear Callum laughing as he spun her in the water, and lifted her in his arms. 

"I've got one question left, Callum" Rayla grinned. "And I want to use it!" 

"Time to find out what my favorite color is?" Callum lowered her to her feet, and brought his face in toward her, until they were centimeters away. 

"Plenty of time for that later," Rayla said, curling her fingers into Callum's hair. "No, I have a better question." She felt his breath on her. Felt his hands at the small of her back. Saw the glint of happiness in his eyes. 

"Ask me." 

"Callum..." she began. "I really... **really**...want to kiss you. Can I kiss--" 

Callum kissed her, and they fell into each other's arms. Rayla felt his hands running up and down her arms, up to her face, around her horns, and around her back. She gasped for air, crying and laughing at the same time, and holding him so tight she was afraid he might burst. They kissed for what felt like hours, in the light of the Xadian Moon. 

Later, after a long while, Rayla and Callum left the pond, arm in arm. Callum was making fun of how pruned their fingers had gotten in the water, and Rayla was smacking him in the arm, telling him to shut up. They decided to lay down in the field next to the pond, enjoying the night air. Zym wandered sleepily over to the pair, either oblivious to the change between the two, or having already known for weeks. Rayla somehow thought it was the latter. They curled up in each other's arms, and Zym climbed up between them, purring loudly. After a time of staring into each other's eyes, Rayla finally spoke. 

"You know," she said, "I don't think I'm scared of the water anymore." 

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**Wow! That was a lot longer than I expected. Hope you all like it!**


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